Siphiwe Nxumalo, volunteer from the World Food Program (PMA) in Eswatini, she returned to her native country after finishing her studies in neighboring South Africa to help orphaned and vulnerable children, who are struggling with poverty and neglect. Now, she recounts her first-hand experience to UN News:
“In this community, many children do not go to school or preschool, because they do not have food. Many others cannot pay school fees. I myself can’t send my children to kindergarten because my husband lost his job.
Some children suffer from the lack of love from their parents. We have seen children abandoned to their fate and exposed to sexual abuse by adults, who could infect them with HIV.
This happened to me too: Although my parents did not neglect me as a child, I was abused by adults such as my neighbors, my teachers, and the pastor of my church.
Siphiwe Nxumalo, a World Food Program volunteer in Eswatini, returned to her home country to help orphans and vulnerable children struggling with poverty and neglect.
A safe place for children
Before we created this Neighborhood Service Point, this building was full of criminals. It was used to store stolen items and the walls were covered in violent graffiti.
We have created a safe space for children. After renovating the structure and opening the Service Pointcrime decreased in the area. We are not professional teachers, but we do use online resources such as YouTube classes and educational apps. We want them to develop an entrepreneurial mindset from a very young age, showing them how to avoid widespread crime and create opportunities for themselves.
Children at a World Food Program supported neighborhood care point in Eswatini.
Hot meals, five days a week
Around 75 children come to this Service Point. Originally, these centers were aimed at children under the age of eight, but we welcome children of all ages, including those whose parents cannot afford to send them to school, children with disabilities, children in urgent need of food.
With the support of the UN agency, we can offer hot meals five days a week. Every month they supply us with corn, beans, rice and oil. WFP also gave us farm tools, and we have created a garden, where we grow beans, spinach, lettuce and other vegetables.
I hadn’t realized until friends pointed it out that I always talk about kids and how to help them. So I’m in the right place. I have found my calling.”
Eswatini: an HIV hotspot
Eswatini has the highest HIV prevalence in the world: 27.9% of the adult population lives with the virus. 71% of children are orphans or vulnerable, and one in four has lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS.
Orphaned and vulnerable children are at increased risk of violence and abuse, HIV infection, malnutrition and reduced access to education.
Neighborhood service points that can be found throughout the country. In 2023, WFP supports 800 of these service points with regular food deliveries and agricultural inputs.
Local volunteers ensure that children have access to much-needed education and healthcare, recreational activities and healthy meals.
